Science National Honor Society takes off with a blast

Hallie Palmer, Editor-in-Chief|November 9, 2022

For these students, failure to launch is not an option.

Science National Honor Society, a club filled by science-intrigued students hoping to learn and collaborate with like minded classmates, held its induction ceremony on Friday, Nov. 4.

Fourteen inductees, along with former members, family, facility, and friends populated the familiar football stadium to celebrate the accomplishments of the newest addition to the established honor society.

Concluding the speech-filled and certificate accompanied evening was an interesting “lift-off” to the inductee’s club membership.

Each new inductee built a rocket that had been designed specifically to be shot at the end of the program. Over the course of many afternoon meetings, rockets have been in the making to prepare for the big day.

“We already have the kits, but we had to follow the instructions very carefully,” said Ambrose Yates, who is the secretary of Science National Honor Society. “It’s just arts and crafts for the most part, but it’s really fun and we get to see them launch.”

A simple, but meaningful project.

“It’s tradition, you know. For each induction ceremony we’ve launched rockets, so we have to continue that,” said Owen Catron, who is the president of SNHS.

The new inductees received their achievement certificates, a token of appreciation from club officers, and an invitation to not only have fun, but grow throughout the next year.

In order to be inducted, students were required to have a 3.0 GPA, an A in their science classes, complete the online application, and two teacher recommendations with a minimum of one science teacher.

What happens after the logistical process of applying and being inducted is what makes this club interesting.

Last year, club members worked with an online community to configure a water route to provide access to clean water to an entire community. This presentation apportioned a section of the water system to filter dirty water and commute clean water to citizens in La Trinidad.

However, this year, the club has focused their efforts towards a more eco-friendly endeavor for Richland Northeast.

“We want to promote ‘Going Green’ around the school,” Catron said, adding that they applied for a grant in order to populate Richland Northeast with compost bins and a potential greenhouse.

The inductees will contribute towards this effort to move Richland Northeast to more environmentally friendly campus.

“This club has a special place in my heart,” Catron said. “I’ve enjoyed meeting new people and hopefully have helped them gain a better passion for science.”